New PatriotApp Lets iPhone Users Report Suspected Terrorism, Crime
On the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, a Florida software company will release a new iPhone app designed to promote American patriotism.
Citizen Concepts is launching PatriotApp, which the company touts as the world’s first iPhone app that empowers citizens to help federal agencies fight terrorism, government waste, environmental violations, white-collar crime, public health concerns and other problems.
Federal agencies linked to the app include the FBI, Environmental Protection Agency, Government Accounting Office, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Developers of PatriotApp said they produced the technology with the idea that “citizens can provide the most sophisticated and broad network of eyes and ears” to shed light on wrongdoing.
With the app, users can report information—including videos and photos—and even publish the data on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Users can submit information with or without identifying themselves.
PatriotApp consolidates real-time reporting through agency-specific pull-down menus. Once a report is submitted, a user receives a summary of the data via email.
Roy Swiger, co-owner of Citizen Concepts, says: “This application was created on the belief that citizens are the strongest source of vigilance and action. We simply leverage technology to bridge the divide between people and their government.”
PatriotApp will be available starting Sept. 11 from iTunes. In September, Citizen Concepts is discounting the download price from $2.99 to 99 cents.
The company said the app is compatible only with Apple devices for the time being, but it’s “in the early stages of developing cross-platform products” for devices like the BlackBerry and the Droid.
Even before its release, PatriotApp has won over at least a few Facebook users. In a Facebook posting, Pamela Jones Craycroft said of the app: “This is awesome. You have no idea the impact this can have.” Cristy Muhleisen Swiger exclaimed: “Can’t wait to get this app for my iPhone!!”
Follow Technorati